This invention relates to a method of recording voice dictation, particularly a method that allows one or a plurality of voiced subjects (UnifiedWords) along with the dictated prose to be saved in a dictationbase by subject as computable data. The transcription results can then be processed as data for creating transactions required by the user (author) and their IT organizations. The applications created in the dictationbase are pre-configured for the requirements of each user (author) to assemble formatted documents while capturing the UnifiedWord identified data.
Dictation was started by Thomas Edison in 1877. Edison was trying to develop a machine that could transcribe telegraph messages and play them back, without requiring a person to retype the message. Realizing that the techniques he was using might also be used to record telephone messages, he sketched a diagram and handed it to one of his assistants, who promptly built what would become the first device in history capable of recording sound. Edison famously tested the machine by recording and playing back the words to “Mary had a little lamb.”
Dictation devices have progressed over the years but there are very few traces of any new methods of dictation recording—they all appear to end up as what the Medical Records Institute calls “free-text”. Free-text is problematic because it is unstructured data that is not computable in a digital environment; Free-text is difficult to search, sort, analyze, summarize, and present. It takes parsing or handling by someone, perhaps aided by, software, to use free-text to update legal case files, patient electronic records, knowledge management/intelligence or whatever requires a digital record structure. Dictation transcripts all these years have relied on manual parsing to change free text to digital data. The inventive method automates the capture of identified prose as structured data.
Our research with professionals that dictate indicated that the foundation of dictation (recording voice for transcription) is controlled by the age-old principles of planning and organization: outlining and then focusing on that outline during dictation. Those are good practices of dictation used by almost all authors. We have found that authors (1) know what the document name is, (2) know how the information is going to be used by others, (3) know where the information will be positioned on a document and (4) know whether the dictated information can and should be used as data that is computable to update some of their records and usually give explicit instructions to the admin staff to handle their transcripts. We also discovered that most have a preconfigured organization or outline of subjects that guide them when they dictate. Some have memorized the subjects in that organization while others think through their dictation as they create different portions of a document (forethought) at random. The principles of dictation mentioned above became the foundation for this invention—All Voice Transaction Data Capture-Dictation System. Currently literally all dictation is all voice however this invention adds a dictation technique in order to execute capture of data. After months of investigation, looking at knowledge language processing software, hand written selection or typing of choices and many discussions with physicians, attorneys, law enforcement officers, and other authors, we determined that the authors were the only ones who had first hand information about the subjects they dictate and if they were allowed to use their own words or phrases, which we call “UnifiedWords” to identify dictation subjects, they would be equipped better to document a transaction, event or whatever they had to dictate.
We also found that a multiple dimension identification structure of UnifiedWords could transcend standardization of nomenclature/taxonomies/anthologies by simply adding modifiers while recording UnifiedWords, such as “SNOMED” before the dictated colon, to a dictation subject/document element in order to include the standard prose vs. the authors prose or allowing a dual dictation one made up of the “SNOMED” standard to a subject/dictation document element. This allows, including the standard nomenclature in one output document and the author's free expression prose in a separate document. We discovered that authors' dictation organization embraces their work style, not the new standards or new technologies they are required to use. In order to adapt their work style with their vocabulary they can customize each dictation application UnifiedWord to suit their existing dictation requirements while maintaining freedom of expression. We also found that the institution and industry requirements prescribe what they have to document and sometimes the terminology or taxonomy they require the author to use to produce that documentation were not familiar for the authors dictation routine causing an immediate training problem. The multiple dimension UnifiedWords provides a simple method that allows a transition from current methods to new requirements that are handled by the UnifiedWords technology computerized database structure accommodating all parties involved in the management of dictation.
In 2005 the Medical Records Institute (MRI) estimated that $25 billion dollars is spent each year in healthcare for IT related to dictation transcription. That industry has always used the traditional record—a voice dictation that is transcribed mostly by manual typing from the voice files (MRI estimates that the industry employs 400,000 transcriptionists for the medical market). After transcription using the manual typed method or even with speech recognition someone or software has to parse through the unstructured free text and provide formatting, gather data and make the transcript useful for its intended purpose. Today with the apparent push to the electronic health care records and with the proliferation of data silos with digital information gathering on computers and networks, it is very apparent that a simple familiar method needs to be updated and changed in order to automatically capture transcripts as data vs. unstructured free text. Capturing dictation as data will transform the dictation process into a transaction entry capable environment that will save millions of dollars while providing accurate, detailed, identified information that can be used for further processing for research and even increase the accuracy of knowledge language software because their vocabularies can be refined to the specific subject dictated.
UnifiedWords technology provides a self training environment for dictation. The applications can be organized and customized by each professional author from their familiar dictation routine. The invention also provides a platform for people who want to dictate but who have had a hard time organizing their work style to produce output they can use for all kinds of transactions. They simply apply their own UnifiedWords to identify what they know and think about vs. what information someone else uses to identify that same information. The invention provides the tool they need to adjust from their education, training, and experience to the institution or organizations requirements.
Numerous industries, such as healthcare and law enforcement, are going through tremendous change and their associated documentation requirements are also changing. As an example of this change, when HIPAA was put into law by the healthcare industry the estimate of healthcare dictation/transcription was $15 billion annually. Now, a few years later the estimate is $25 billion. This is an example of authors changing their documentation habits (using their voice vs. hand writing or typing) to adapt to industry changes and looking for documentation capabilities that would save time, keep up with industry standards and make them more productive. Simply put, they need to work faster and achieve better results.
Some prior attempts to turn dictation into data are reviewed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,813,603 to Gromer requires a program running on a computer with speech recognition and template forms visually displayed to record verbal dictation. The author has to learn the technology and sit in front of a computer to use the invention.
UnifiedWord recording technique does not require a computer—but does require a dictation recording device—analog, digital or whatever is required by the transcription source. When necessary, UnifiedWords can be reviewed in a printed reminder list or displayed on a programmable hand held device that is used as a recorder for high quality wave files. UnifiedWord technology can use any transcription source. The only requirement is that the author or originator of the dictated files speak the UnifiedWords (using words no initialization or acronyms in order to improve speech recognition accuracy) before they dictate their content and end their dictation with the words “end-it”.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,328 to Stefanchick discloses a system that requires an author to physically enter data as influence material described as codes or tags that can be used to help transform verbal data as identified data.
UnifiedWords technology requires the author to record verbally all words assigned and selected by the author to identify information. The words dictated identify the information for use as data without coding via a data entry.
Other Prior patents in this field include U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,363—Shepard, U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,973—Lewin, U.S. Pat. No. 6,738,784—Howes, U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,936—Brais, U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,644—VanBuskirk, U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,331—Abu-Hakima and U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,545—Beauregard.